Below is a correspondence exchange between me and a woman who had questions about genital (and ear cartilage) piercings for her and for her boyfriend:

Hi Elayne!

I'm sure Atlanta was glad to have you back! Unfortunately for me, I've moved to Oklahoma for a while. I keep up with your schedule so I'm hoping that one of these days, I will have the pleasure and privilege to meet you.

I have two questions and since ladies should always go first, I will ask the question in regards to the Christina piercing. Lol. I've done some research on it and find it very attractive. Can you tell me more about it and is it and ok piercing for a woman to have?

Secondly, my boyfriend wants to get a frenum piercing however, it will be his first and only piercing and his main concern is the placing of the piercing itself. He was curious about, and sorry for being graphic but, masturbation and intercourse. After it's healed, will the placement affect what he does with his penis? I'm also curious myself since I'm the one who suggested it after we looked at several different kind of male gential piercings and he asked me which one I liked. Anyways, that's all I wanted to know.

Thank you. T.

My response:

I'm not a huge fan of the Christina because it takes so long to heal (6-9 months or so) and can be prohibitive to frontal sex during that time. And, unlike some of the other options (like the VCH and triangle) it is not a piercing that adds any pleasurable sensations. Have you considered a VCH? It is also vertical, but much more functional. Have you done the q-tip test as pictured on this page of my website to see if you are anatomically suited for a VCH piercing?

Simply insert the swab under your hood but don't push up too hard on it. Sometimes there's not much of a natural "overhang" of skin, but if it can be manipulated to cover, it is still safe to do the piercing. So if your hood doesn't cover the tip of the swab, use your other hand to try to manually move the tissue down to try to draw the skin over to the swab tip. (It is easier to push the tissue down rather than try to pull it.) Also, you might want to de-fluff the swab and lubricate it a bit if your hood seems snug or shallow.

As far as the frenum goes, nobody can say exactly how it will impact your boyfriend's usual styles of masturbation or intercourse. What I can say is that many men and their partners enjoy them. Genital piercings are rather dynamic--they move and the tissue changes during arousal. So it is the kind of thing that he should get, if it appeals to him, and then enjoy the experimentation of finding out how it works with his usual preferences and what new possibilities it presents for his sensations and other fun.

Do you need a referral to a qualified professional or were you planning to come see me during one of my trips?

She wrote again:

Thank you for responding back to me so quickly. I know you're very busy.

I've had my VCH done a few years ago and it didn't heal properly so I had to remove it. I have a metal sensitivity and can only be pierced w/titanium so that didn't help either. I had the barbell and the where the balls and my skin met, it had trouble with it healing. Is it ok 2 re-pierce my VCH? I can feel where it was pierced originally so I'm a little concerned about scar tissue, etc. As far as the triangle piercing, I would love to have that if I'm anatomically correct for it. By the way, how do you feel about Rook piercings and their placement? I want to get both Tragus' done so I want either the Rook or a Daith piercing to go along with it. I've had my Helix done before and I had to take it out due to the placement and a metal sensitivity that I didn't know about @ the time. I want something different in my ears this time. As far as finding a piercer here in OK, I either want to wait until I can travel to come see you or go back to Atlanta and see Bethra @ Virtue and Vice...or, go to New Orleans where I know you've personally worked with and trained the piercer there.

I've had to take out 3 of my 4 piercings because of either bad placement and/or metal sensitivity so I'm leery of just anybody doing my piercings now.

My boyfriend and I were looking @ the Lorum piercing versus the Frenum and since this will probably be his first and only piercing. He doesn't want to have to worry about changing his sexual practices because of a piercing. He does, however, want to enjoy his piercing and it's placement. For me, I find piercings sexy period!

Anyways, thank you for your help. I appreciate all the knowledge and expertise you have shared with the rest of us folk out here!

They carry the highest quality body jewelry. I'd be really surprised if you have any problem with it.

They will be able to evaluate you in person to see if the existing scar tissue from the prior piercing is an issue in redoing your VCH.

Also, I wouldn't get everything pierced at once. I'd suggest the VCH and one cartilage piercing and advise you to wait until they're healed before planning to get more.

Having a daith, I can say it was absolutely one of the easiest piercings ever to heal. Once it is in, you simply cannot "accidentally" bump it because it is so well protected by the rest of your ear. The rook is subject to more trauma, and as such it is harder to heal. but if you're anatomically suited to it and you like the way it looks, you might opt for it anyway

I can't say whether the lorum or frenum would be preferable for your boyfriend--he is going to have to decide what appeals to him personally.. Both are popular spots that many men enjoy having pierced.